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If I built a steam locomotive

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If I built a steam locomotive
Posted by Miningman on Wednesday, May 15, 2019 11:02 PM

This is probably how it would turn out.

Complete with the 2 ladies waiting to go for a ride. 

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Wednesday, May 15, 2019 11:04 PM

The perfect ride to meet girls with!  

Who needs a 'Vette?

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Posted by Jones1945 on Thursday, May 16, 2019 7:51 AM

This tiny steam engine is cute! The front end looks like a solid rock the first time I see it but it was probably just a wooden partition. I wonder how many "catpower" did she have; as powerful as a dozen of steam bicycle add up I guess?  CoffeeSmile, Wink & Grin

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Posted by Overmod on Thursday, May 16, 2019 1:13 PM

Miningman
Complete with the 2 ladies waiting to go for a ride.

Yeah, isn't that Darla from Our Gang on the right?  (Penny, cue the link to His Rascal's Voices in the Sundown Limited with its interesting ailuric combined throttle and reverser system, since Jones mentioned the catpower ...)

Y'all might enjoy this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQZtAv123Vc

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Posted by Miningman on Thursday, May 16, 2019 4:17 PM

That is the smallest cylinder I've ever seen on a standard gauge or close to it locomotive. 

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Posted by Miningman on Thursday, May 16, 2019 9:24 PM

I think one of the ladies in the pic is a relative :

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Thursday, May 16, 2019 9:27 PM

I think you've got something there Vince!  Hmmm...

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Posted by Penny Trains on Friday, May 17, 2019 7:02 PM

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

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Posted by Overmod on Friday, May 17, 2019 7:54 PM

 

Ahhhh... Mistress of the Steam for the Rodney Matthews locomotive:

 

(Sorry, Wayne, I suppose I should have warned you to set the coffee cup down, but ...)

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Friday, May 17, 2019 8:43 PM

Too late Mod-man, but tonight it was a mouthful of Dutch apple pie that made the "passage."  Ick!

I like the "Bond girl" shot Becky!  Cool!

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Posted by M636C on Sunday, May 19, 2019 5:17 AM

Miningman

This is probably how it would turn out.

Complete with the 2 ladies waiting to go for a ride. 

 

 

The locomotive appears to be what I would call a "steam tram motor" with the enclosure of the running gear removed. I would suggest that the front addition is an additional water tank. There appears to be what could be a pipe visible at rear of the "tank". The addition of the cowcatcher and a water tank might suggest that the locomotive was to be used on a branch line away from water standpipes.

Peter

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Posted by Jones1945 on Sunday, May 19, 2019 6:35 AM

So it was probably a steam dummy like this one:

http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2016/03/a-steam-dummy-was-steam-engine-that-was.html

Overmod

 Ahhhh... Mistress of the Steam for the Rodney Matthews locomotive:

I wonder how the dining car looks like...... the menu must be very interesting. I probably need to solve a puzzle or write a poem before I am allowed to order a meal on it.

Oh wait, I remember this is actually the dining car, because why not. CoffeeSurprise

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Posted by Overmod on Sunday, May 19, 2019 10:35 AM

Jones1945
Overmod

 Ahhhh... Mistress of the Steam for the Rodney Matthews locomotive:

I wonder how the dining car looks like...... the menu must be very interesting. I probably need to solve a puzzle or write a poem before I am allowed to order a meal on it.

Oh wait, I remember this is actually the dining car, because why not. CoffeeSurprise

Actually, it is a dinning car, and no, you wouldn't last long -- one way or t'other -- if you tried going in to see what was for dinner.  You might get the chance (on the Scheherazade plan) to write a good enough poem on the dinner check - be sure to bring a large enough pin for the 'ink'.

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Posted by Overmod on Sunday, May 19, 2019 10:53 AM

And now not only do the fat little foons at Clambake screw up the mobile interface so badly I can't even edit my own post, they malform the code so it's a race to post before the page 'resets' (and helpfully removes any pesky typing cluttering up the window...)

 

A couple of points -- bear with me, as typing is slow and spastic for some reason, and I have to stop and update frequently before the page code does...

You answered the riddle to get on the train in the first place, or more precisely to determine whether you went on the train or the tender.  (Or more precisely, number of places on the tender if you count the cistern separately)

The semantic meaning of 'dining' becomes of great importance in this situation.  If it is the same sense that applies to what the locomotive is constantly doing, you would NOT want to be in any 'seating for dinner'...

(Or to paraphrase the old joke, "In Mordor the dining car dines on YOU!"

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Posted by Jones1945 on Tuesday, May 21, 2019 2:12 AM

Overmod

... "In Mordor the dining car dines on YOU!" ...

 

 

O, dear Prof. Overmod, I knew it was a dining car the first time ever I saw the front end of it, I am glad that you confirmed this; judging by the color of the flame shooting from the stack, you know better than I of what they have been "serving". But when I try to think a little deeper about dining on this train, it actually means that I will set some poor soul free! I wish my quill could duplicate themselves like the human cell so that I can escape like a flying rooster instead of a sitting duck, without making yet another difficult decision......Email

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Posted by Penny Trains on Friday, May 24, 2019 7:45 PM

I just thought of something.  If I built a steam locomotive, it would probably look like this:

Or at least, that's what it would look like after I tried to fire it up.

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Friday, May 24, 2019 8:39 PM

Penny Trains

I just thought of something.  If I built a steam locomotive, it would probably look like this:

Or at least, that's what it would look like after I tried to fire it up.

 

Hmm. Reminds me of the story of the 100-year-old lady from Texas who was asked the reason fo her longevity.

"Well, I took my Daddy's advice and mixed a teaspoon of gunpowder with my oatmeal each morning!  He was an old gunfighter, you know."

When she died at 101 all that was left of the crematorium resembled that photo Becky just posted!

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Posted by Overmod on Friday, May 24, 2019 11:50 PM

Reminds me of the time I heard Wayne went skydiving as part of his Marine training.  He had been told there was little problem 'jumping out of a perfectly good airplane' - you hooked the static line up and it would set the chute to deploy properly.  If that failed, you pulled the D-ring; if that failed, the reserve, and if all else 'failed to thrive' you pulled open the top of the pack and yanked the drogue into the slipstream until things self-opened.

Well, the static line broke at the clip, the D-ring came off in his hand, the reserve wasn't correctly connected, and the drogue came out twisted and wouldn't stream.  Along about this time, the ground was starting to get uncomfortably near, and he was thinking what to do next when he saw someone rising up opposite him.  When they were about on the same level, Wayne called over 'Hey buddy, you know anything about parachutes?"

"No" came the reply, "do you know anything about firing up Penny's locomotive"?

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Posted by Miningman on Saturday, May 25, 2019 2:26 AM

A terrific variation on that old saw. 

I do recall .. ( man these were good threads) 

 
Posted by Firelock76 on Wednesday, October 04, 2017 7:53 PM
Hmm, push button starters on outdoor BBQ's.  Reminds me of a tale...
There's this guy who decides to take up skydiving.  On his first jump out of the plane he pulls the parachute ripcord, and nothing happens!  He pulls and pulls and pulls and still nothing happens!  He happens to look down, and sees another guy coming up!
"HEY!"  he yells to him, "YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT PARACHUTES?"
"NO!" the other guy yells back, "YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT GAS GRILLS?"
Which is why I've stuck with charcoal.  Besides, I just love that imitation "Olympic Flame"  I get when I put the match to it.
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Posted by Jones1945 on Saturday, May 25, 2019 3:24 AM

Penny Trains

I just thought of something.  If I built a steam locomotive, it would probably look like this:

Or at least, that's what it would look like after I tried to fire it up. 

Fixed...... I guess...... Coffee

In case you guys missed it: 

http://ctr.trains.com/rapid/2017/08/super-streamliners

 

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Saturday, May 25, 2019 8:11 AM

Three things...

1)  Mod-man, how did you find out?  I thought no-one was looking!

2)  Vince, I still stick to charcoal 'cause I love that Olympic Flame effect! I even hum this piece of music when I touch it off...

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dmy2WXCJWvc 

Honestly, I think the meat tastes better cooked over charcoal. 

3)  Mr. Jone, I hope they did an "Evironmental Impact Study" before they bridged that impact!  Can't be too careful in a wasteland like that, who knows what part of that delicate environment might get hurt!

 

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Posted by Jones1945 on Saturday, May 25, 2019 8:36 AM

Flintlock76

3)  Mr. Jone, I hope they did an "Evironmental Impact Study" before they bridged that impact!  Can't be too careful in a wasteland like that, who knows what part of that delicate environment might get hurt!

You are right, Wayne! I forgot Penny's train was powered by nuclear energy...... CoffeeSurprise Anyway our mutated folks in the post-apocalyptic world would love that bridge, it's the best place to view ground zero! Wilted Flower

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Posted by Penny Trains on Saturday, May 25, 2019 6:24 PM

Yes, that's called an "unintended atmospheric release" crater.  I think it comes somewhere between snafu and fubar on the goof scale.  Wink

Whistling Oh you never tie a square knot in a paratrooper's chute...."  Whistling

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Saturday, May 25, 2019 7:31 PM

Fubar!  Oh, therein lies a tale...

There's a Dairy Queen in Rochelle Park NJ that Lady Firestorm's father used to take the family to.  Right behind the same was a machine shop called "Fubar Manufcturing Company."  Lady F's dad used to crack up everytime he saw it (World War Two vet, of course) but he'd never tell the kids what "fubar" meant.  No wonder.

Anyway, when we started dating we went to the Dairy Queen one night, parked in just the right spot, and  saw the "Fubar" sign and started laughing.

"What's so funny?"  she asked?

"Oh, that sign that says "Fubar Manufacturing."

"Fubar?  What's that mean?  My father won't tell me!"

"Well, if your dad won't tell you then I shouldn't!"

After she grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me furiously for about a minute or so shrieking  "WHAT'S  THAT  MEAN?!  WHAT DOES FUBAR MEAN?!"  I gave up and told her, in the interest of self-preservation I might add.  The brain housing group was about to shatter!

Later when I dropped her off at home she ran up to Dad and triumphantly shouted "I KNOW WHAT FUBAR MEANS!"

Her father gave me a strange look.  What could I say?

"She made me do it!"  Crying  

I'll tell you, it's not easy being me at times...

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Posted by Deggesty on Saturday, May 25, 2019 7:46 PM

When I was 9, and my youngest brother was 10, our 23 year old brother came out of the Air Corps, and one of our 19 year olf brothers came out of the Navy, they told us that the "F" stood for "Fouled." In later years, I learned what the more common word was. Our other 19 year old brother did not comment on it after he came out of the Navy.

Johnny

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Posted by SD70Dude on Saturday, May 25, 2019 8:13 PM

Out in my area, they made a movie called FUBAR not so long ago:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FUBAR_(film)

If you haven't seen this already you must, it's an instant redneck classic.

But I guess you have to be an Albertan to understand that it is closer to reality than fiction.

Give'r!!!

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

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Posted by Erik_Mag on Sunday, May 26, 2019 3:17 PM

Penny Trains

Yes, that's called an "unintended atmospheric release" crater.  I think it comes somewhere between snafu and fubar on the goof scale.  Wink

That's the crater from Project Sedan. This was a test shot to develop techniques for nuclear excavation, with one proposed application was lowering the grade for Route 66/I-40 and the AT&SF line west of Needles.

The "device" had a 100kT yield and was designed to get most of the yield out of fusion to reduce the long half-life fallout, though there would be a fair amont of very short half life fallout from the fusion neutrons (no repeat of the Castle Bravo FUBAB (beyond all belief)).  IIRC, the physics behind nuclear excavation of trenches requires some release of the vaporized rock - note that trenching is done by setting off several devices simultaneously.

Popular Mechanics had a nice article on nuclear excavation in either a late 1963 or 1964 issue, with a diagram of what happened with the Sedan test.

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Posted by Penny Trains on Sunday, May 26, 2019 6:48 PM

Erik_Mag
(no repeat of the Castle Bravo FUBAB (beyond all belief))

I blame that one on Teller and Louis Strauss.  It shows how the fear of a thing  that could happen can pollute your thinking enough to push something you don't understand (Teller's "Super") into development faster than you're capable of.

Anyhoo.  I blame my knowledge of fubar on PBS.  Wink

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

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Posted by Overmod on Monday, May 27, 2019 9:34 AM

Penny Trains
I blame that one on Teller and Louis Strauss.

That's not fair, although I have to admit that anything you could say about that latter miserable shoe salesman wouldn't be enough.

There was no reason in that era to suspect the (n,2n) reaction in natural lithium, for the comparatively simple reason that it only appeared to a physically-significant degree with the kind of neutron flux produced by, say, a fusion-device core.  Were it more observable, it would have showed up in some of the earlier Alarm Clock testing, or perhaps the Greenhouse shot that tested an approach to 'boosting' using the same general principle with a small capsule of LiD (but I suspect the lithium that was tested there would have been mainly enriched lithium-6, and the observations biased toward those reaction products because it was 'common knowledge' that Li7 wouldn't fuse...)

In other words, it was observed the first time an adequate volume of lithium-7 was exposed to a proper neutron flux ... in Shrimp and then the Runts ... as magnified by the result of the remainder of those unexpected 2x neutrons in the uranium tamper.  Easy for folks in hindsight to complain 'those eggheads should have figured this out before blowing up half the world', but I think you'd be more sympathetic to them if you knew more of the physics involved.

If you are interested in spreading blame around, much of it ought to go to Truman for first prioritizing and then pushing work on the 'Super' from 1950 on, after the shock of the first confirmed Russian atomic test was added to things like 'losing' Eastern Europe and China in that couple of prior years that 'containment' was visibly failing to thrive.  There are other potential culprits or contributors, which I'll get to in a moment.

There is a story about this that I can no longer find in references -- perhaps Mike will read this and provide a link -- that has Teller talking to Oppie about the exciting promise of a fusion Super (something he had become something of a bore about from 1945 up to the time Ulam and he actually figured out how to make the thing work).  Teller went on about the prospective yield net of losses, until Oppenheimer thought about it a bit and asked (paraphrased) 'how big would the primary fireball from such a device be'?  Teller thought a bit, and said 'about three miles', at which point Oppenheimer started laughing.  Teller, a bit discomfited at this response, asked what was so funny about that, to which Oppie replied 'I was just trying to think of a military target that size'.

Of course, that wasn't precisely the answer by that point in history.  Notably we had a decidedly unsavory train of evolution from Douhet by way of Trenchard and Harris, which made it 'legal' to throw fire on civilians because they were 'complicit' in their government's actions.  Then we have that ineffable Yalie William Liscum Borden, who had a dramatic vision of the future seeing a V2 flight while returning on a bomb run and rather intelligently extrapolated this to what would be possible with atomic weapons ... and who just happened to have the ear of Louis Johnson at that critical time in defense planning.

You could also blame people in the Eisenhower administration for at least the implementation, if not the whole of the planning, for the whole 'more bang for the buck' mutual-assured-deterrence planning in the Fifties going forward, which greatly reduced any need for expensive conventional forces for 'deterrence of communist aggression' and whatnot by attempting to make any real strategic war "unthinkable".  At least we didn't get into major production of ABM and then MARVs, just as the Russians didn't actually get FOBS working or actually finish their manned orbital facilities!

With a bit of 20/20 hindsight that most critics of the American program often ignore the timing and priority of, we also have to face Sakharov's insights into designing a weaponizable thermonuclear device, and Bartini's protege Korolev's practical design of a delivery system for it.  Both of which came later, and made the earlier work done on dry thermonuclears look extremely farsighted ... but that's a whole other argument.

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Posted by Overmod on Monday, May 27, 2019 1:22 PM

Penny Trains
I just thought of something. If I built a steam locomotive, it would probably look like this:

This just in:  I found a reference to what Penny would do with one of Porta's locomotive designs and posted it in the "Schmidt superheater alternative" thread on the Trains Magazine 'Locomotives' thread.  A couple of interesting pictures there for people following this discussion... Whistling

(Fired up on a barge, so there is no scenic crater ... don't blame me, blame the Government...)

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